InvestigateTV+ Weekend: Critics push back against license plate readers
Season 6, Episode 2
(InvestigateTV) — A camera network built to help police find criminals can also create a record of where ordinary drivers have been. And critics say the risk is not just the technology—but who may use it.
Plus, police chases can turn deadly in seconds.
Then, some departments are using a new tool they hope can stop them before they start.
Watching the Watchers
Flock says its cameras can’t be used to track people, but the company markets that capability to police departments nationwide. In May, we reported how license plate readers capture every car that passes, not just those suspected of crimes.
Now, we explore what happens with that data. If an innocent person passes enough cameras, those data points paint a picture of your movements over a 30-day period. Flock’s newest cameras are actually designed to pan, tilt and zoom to follow movements. National Investigator Brendan Keefe interviews a security researcher who found dozens of those cameras streaming openly to the internet for anyone to watch.
We also show how one man built his own national database of Flock cameras to crowdsource their locations, helping ordinary people chart paths to avoid them. Criminals can use that information, too, pitting mass surveillance versus public safety.
The Grappler
Police pursuits aren’t just dangerous — they can be deadly, and federal data shows fatal chases have surged in recent decades, often killing innocent bystanders.
National Investigative Reporter Kristin Crowley examines a fast-growing tool some departments say can end a pursuit before it begins: “The Grappler,” a device that shoots a net to wrap a fleeing vehicle’s tire and bring it to a stop.
From a Kansas department reporting major success to dramatic dashcam videos from around the country, we dig into how the Grappler works and why there may be cause for concern when it’s deployed.
Gold courier scam
A sophisticated scam is targeting retirement savings—using fake pop-ups, phony government calls, and even gold purchases to convince victims their money is in danger.
Tammy Elliott spoke with a woman who says she was led to believe she was protecting her savings—until more than $400,000 were gone.
Americans drowning in debt
New analysis from Consumer Affairs finds the average person now owes about $63,000, that’s roughly 40 percent more than what they make in a year.
In this Watching Your Wallet, Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa takes a hard look at how deep in debt Americans have become.
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